What to Watch This Weekend: May 29, 2020

Home Rental: The High Note
The High Note is a phenomenal feel good musical drama with fantastic characters, a story with plenty of surprises, and a soulful, wonderful soundtrack that will stay in your head long after the credits roll.  For more information, check out our review!

Redbox: The Invisible Man

The Invisible Man is a new take on the classic film, with great, minimalist effects, wonderful tension, and an amazing performance by Elisabeth Moss.  For more information, check out our review!

Digital: Raising Buchanan

Raising Buchanan's dry sense of humor, wonderful cast, and quirky premise will steal your heart as you enjoy this presidential crime caper.  For more information, check out our review!

Digital: I Will Make You Mine
I Will Make You Mine is a beautiful blend of art and music with a bold style, great characters, and an authentic realism to its music that must be heard to believe!  For more information, check out our review!

Streaming (Netflix): Space Force
Space Force has Steve Carell returning to his comedic roots, along with a fantastic cast and plenty of humor in this high flying, hilarious series.  For more information, check out our review!

Streaming (Netflix): Betaal

Betaal is a Hindi zombie series with the production values you expect from Blumhouse, featuring good horror effects, a palatable sense of suspense, and a fantastic cast!  For more information, check out our review!

Streaming (Netflix): Uncut Gems

Adam Sandler's fantastic return to serious roles is a diamond in the rough!  Uncut Gems is complex, with enough facets to allow its fantastic characters to sparkle brightly.  For more information, check out our review!

Streaming (Amazon): After We Leave

After We Leave is a fresh first effort from writer / director Aleem Hossain, with a minimalist style, fresh perspective, and amazing score that elevates this film.  For more information, check out our review!

Streaming (HBO): Happy Death Day 2U
The sequel to the surprisingly good horror / comedy original, Happy Death Day 2U follows the events of the first movie with another killer loop that gets even more ridiculous than the first.  Tree is forced to make some very difficult choices as she tries to stay alive long enough to solve yet another groundhog day death trap.

Streaming (HBO): Ready or Not
Ready or Not tells a twisted tale with plenty of dark humor.  The setting is fantastic, the imagery feels authentic, and the performances give this deadly game a unique charm that will make you want to play again.  For more information, check out our review!

Review: Raising Buchanan

Release date: April 12, 2019 (U.S. Digital May 5, 2020)
Running time: 96 minutes
Starring: Rene Auberjonois, Amanda Melby, Cathy Shim

Ruth (Melby) has fallen on hard times.  Her dad is sick, she is behind in her payments, and she has to do community service that she hates.  However, when the body of a former president falls into her lap, she decides that the way out of her troubles is to steal the corpse of former US president James Buchanan, hoping to net a large ransom.  However, complications with her plan arise when it seems that no one is particularly interested in getting him back.

Raising Buchanan has a quirky style that it uses to full effect.  Melby is fantastic as Ruth, with a dry sense of humor and a charm that is evident throughout the film.  The movie has a strange premise, but it is one that is very entertaining once it gets going.  Ruth and her best friend Meg (Shim), attempt to ransom off the former President's body, but their ineptitude is evident throughout this endeavor.  It is fun to see them make the most basic of mistakes and the level of incompetence on their part forms a part of the humor of this movie.  And one of the fun surprises of this film is that after Ruth steals Buchanan's body, his ghost follows her around and discusses the finer points of his life and her current predicament.  Buchanan (Auberjonois) is very enjoyable, with funny insights into Ruth's actions as well as tidbits of knowledge about the president's life.  The whole premise is ludicrous but it works surprisingly well

Raising Buchanan's story is surprisingly entertaining.  The amount of ire that the world has for Buchanan is a constant point of humor.  In fact, the film itself has a wonderful, dry, light-hearted comedy that will have you laughing out loud at times.  Despite the theoretical gravity of what they are doing (stealing a body and auctioning it off), the film never strays into too serious a territory.  And the story, although ridiculous, has enough twists and turns as the inept criminals attempt to ransom off a corpse that no one wants that it keeps the film entertaining.  And another surprising side effect of this movie is that you will learn a little history along the way!

Raising Buchanan's dry sense of humor, wonderful cast, and quirky premise will steal your heart as you enjoy this presidential crime caper.

Watch it.

For additional information about the film and to rent / buy it, check it out at the links below.

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